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Do not miss this delicious recipe for semi homemade cinnamon rolls. This is a SUPER easy and quick recipe perfect for any morning!
“Almost” Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe – SO GOOD!
This is my absolute favorite recipe ever for homemade cinnamon rolls!
I first found this recipe in Guideposts magazine several years ago, and was hooked. They're delicious, super simple to make, and because they're so easy to make I can mix them out without having to hunt down a recipe. (I only have this recipe and my best ever chocolate chip cookies memorized. They're so worth it!)
These take just a tiny bit more work than popping open a can of Pillsbury rolls, are way less expensive than your local Cinnabon, and taste so yummy because they're made at home.
Grab some frozen bread dough the next time you're at the store, and make these this weekend. I promise your family will love them!
The best part? All you need to whip up these homemade cinnamon rolls is five simple ingredients, and I'm betting at least four of them are already in your pantry.
Note: the one super important thing you need to remember in this recipe is to set out your frozen dough to thaw in a loaf pan the night before you bake them. It allows the frozen bread dough to thaw, and in the morning you'll make the best cinnamon rolls your family has ever eaten.  Â
Ingredients for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls:
- loaf of frozen bread dough
- margarine or butter
- sugar
- cinnamon
Frosting Ingredients:
- powdered sugar
- milk
- vanilla
How to Make Semi Homemade Cinnamon Rolls:
First things first, when your dough is all nice and thawed out in the morning, roll it out flat with a rolling pin. There is no need to knead the dough! You may want to use about a half cup of flour on the surface so that it does not stick.
Then spread your softened butter (margarine works too) over the dough, and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
Next, roll your dough starting with the shorter end, to make a bunch of fat-and-happy cinnamon rolls. 🙂
Once you're rolled out the dough, cut into one inch slices…
And then place in a round pie plate. Let rise 1-2 hours if you have time. (A lot of times I don't have time for that second rise, but if you do have even 30 minutes extra to let them rise you'll make a better cinnamon roll!)
(Note: The original recipe I used said to let rise for 2-4 hours in the morning to double in size after you've made the cinnamon rolls, but I don’t think I’ve ever let the dough rise more than 1-2 hours.
Just be sure to set them in a warm spot in your kitchen. . . mine rise right on top of the heating vent, or in the oven with the light on to help them rise a little faster. If you don't have time for them to rise they'll rise a bit on their own while baking, but if you have even 30 minutes to give them extra time to puff, it's worth it!)Â
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, and goodness, your home will be so happy. 🙂Â
Then mix together powdered sugar frosting, and serve these homemade cinnamon rolls warm. Perfection!
Note: Most packages of frozen bread dough include 3-5 loaves, so you’ll get several batches of cinnamon rolls out of it. This would be a yummy treat to enjoy during the holidays or even for a special weekend brunch ~ and since bread dough costs $3-$4 for a bag of 5 loaves, you can't beat the price of these when you make them at home (even though they're only semi homemade cinnamon rolls). I love that!
Almost Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
- 1 Loaf Frozen Bread Dough Thawed over night in loaf pan, not risen
- 5 Tbsp Margarine or Butter
- 5 Tbsp Sugar
- 3 tsp Cinnamon
Frosting Ingredients
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Milk
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla
Instructions
- Roll out dough to about 12 x 14 inches. Spread butter evenly on top of dough
- Sprinkle with sugar and then with cinnamon
- Roll up jelly-roll style, tightly pinching ends so sugar / cinnamon doesn't fall out
- With a sharp knife cut into 1-inch sections and lay in prepared pan
- Allow dough to rise until almost double in size (around 1 - 2 hours), they will also rise quite a bit while baking. Meanwhile, prepare frosting (see recipe below). To help them rise a little more quickly, I put them in the oven with the light on, and place a bowl of water on the rack beneath them to help moisture stay in the oven.
- Bake in a greased round or square pan at 350 Degrees for 15 - 20 minutes. Tops will be golden brown when done. Allow rolls to cool slightly while preparing topping. (If you're like me, you may want to spread a little butter or margarine on top to make them nice and glossy!)
Frosting Instructions
- Mix powdered sugar and milk to make a thick paste
- Add more milk or powdered sugar as needed
- Spread on still-warm rolls, allowing the frosting to melt slightly. Serve warm.
If you want to think ahead and have this as a Valentine's brunch, you can try this recipe as Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls too!Â
If you enjoyed this Homemade Cinnamon Rolls recipe, you may like these too:Â
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